Riverside Rendezvous
by T1meslayer
Summary: The Gym Challengers from Galar should have plenty of time to relax and enjoy the sights now that Victor has defeated Leon and saved the Region from Eternatus. However, Marnie seems reluctant to give herself that chance and decides to open up to her former rival. Rated 'T' for romantic underpinnings and angst. Maybe even a suggestive joke here or there.


Most of the prospective Gym Challengers were so laser-focused on the Champion Cup when they arrived in Wyndon that they would have overlooked its magnificent skyline. But with the tournament — and all of its interruptions — done for the year, the shining metropolis became a veritable cornucopia for the senses.

When (the now disgraced) Chairman Rose designed the city, he made the first impression any trainer would have coming off of Route 10 as grand as possible. Many locals knew that district to be a tourist-trap playground, but its offerings made the triangular area a jewel in Galar's crowning city.

From the tributary Corviknight statue-fountain in front of Wyndon Station, visitors could go left to traverse the winding streets of Wyndon's shopping district — aglow 24/7 with massive digital billboards adorning the faces of Pokémon, restaurant mascots and Gym Leaders; or go right to pass through a beautiful park on their way to the blooming, rose-shaped Wyndon Stadium.

But there was no better place to experience the splendor of the city, especially on a cool fall evening, than the avenue connecting these paths that ran along the river.

One could see everything Wyndon had to offer from the diagonal herringbone-patterned brick flooring of the district's hypotenuse side street: The myriad of townhouses and skyscrapers that filled the space between Wyndon Stadium and the world-famous Rose of the Rondelands hotel; the spiraling panopticon of Rose Tower in the distance; even the boxy Pokéball-themed monorail that lazily circled the city on a suspended track. All lit brilliantly by a cotton candy sunset that brightened the murky river's reflection and left magenta clouds passing overhead, each looking tasty enough to rival Alcremie's most delectable flavor palates.

However, Marnie had her eyes set on Wyndon's iconic Ferris wheel.

Though its true name was frequently debated, many knew the amusement ride as the "Galar Hurricane." Situated just behind the Rose of the Rondelands, the perfectly circular wheel of crisscrossing metal scaffolding captivated hearts and minds thanks to lights that let the entire structure blend into the sunset with an ever-changing wash of pink and blue. Even the Pokéball capsules dotting the outer perimeter of the wheel bled matching pastel colors like the sludge of an Alolan Muk.

The Gym Challenger from Spikemuth gazed longingly at the upright wheel from the ledge of that hypotenuse street, letting her spike-heeled, pointy-toed boots dangle just over the river's surface. She kept herself from falling in by hooking her arms around the black fencing against her back.

That fence, ostensibly, should have kept anyone from being as close to the ledge as Marnie. Yet it was clearly easy enough to get around without constant supervision.

Only one person seemed to be suspiciously watching the pastel punk, and he was plenty willing to approach.

"Wouldn't want to fall in if I were you Marnie," says Victor as he leans forward on the section of gate next to the one she latched onto. "Heard only Feebas can survive all the city muck that runs through the water here."

The girl looks over her shoulder, but keeps her idly stone-faced expression.

Her partner Morpeko looks more suspicious as it pokes its head around Marnie's back, holding the flap of her black leather jacket. The glare she gave was intense, even though the rodent's primarily yellow fur suggested it had a full belly.

"That's old news, Champ," Marnie remarks in a bit of a deadpan tone with her heavy accent. "Heard Rose was helpin' to clear it up after introducin' that newfangled energy whatsits. Buddy a' mine told me she swam across the city in her knickers once."

"Really?"

Victor blinks a few times as he glances between Marnie and the water in front of them. It was a little hard for him to imagine anyone swimming in it, even when the painterly sky reflected like a Slurpuff's creamy coat.

Though the suggestion of imagining anyone in their underwear was perhaps harder to swallow for the young Champion — evidenced by the flush in his pale cheeks.

"Yeah, really. Do I look like a liar to you?"

Victor shakes his head at her accusatory tone, nearly losing his grey knit cap.

Though her general demeanor remains stoic, he could see a smile flash in Marnie's teal green eyes.

"Good." With a quick nod, she looks back out over Wyndon's skyline. "Glad to know you're still lookin' out for me, though. Figured you'd be out partyin' all hours of the day with bigwig sponsors and other insufferable blokes."

The boy snorts, and then rests his forehead on his crossed arms that lay against cold, top metal bar of the fence.

"I think those insufferable blokes are coming tomorrow," he mumbles. "Leon's throwing a rave up at Rose Tower, wants to make some kind of announcement."

"Well try not to sell every inch a' yourself there, Victor. Don't think you can pull off a cape half as well as Leon."

Victor offers an unimpressed glare at that.

Morpeko chuckles at the sight before sitting next to her trainer again. The Pokémon tugs more greedily at Marnie's sleeve, which draws her attention and leads her to start digging through one of her studded jacket's many pockets until she finds a berry.

When she hands over the juicy blue orb, Morpeko squeaks happily and starts nibbling away at it.

"You can probably come along if you want," Victor says — deciding to completely ignore Marnie's passive dig.

"Can't," she quickly replies. "Gotta go back home soon."

"Soon?" Victor frowns slightly, especially seeing her forlorn gaze turn toward the Ferris wheel again. "Hasn't even been that long since the tourney, though."

He leans further onto the fence and tries to match the direction of her eyes.

"And it looks like there's still some stuff you want to try, yeah?"

Marnie closes her eyes and takes a deep breath through her nose. The metal pendent hanging off her choker jingles softly as she lets it out.

"Wish I could."

"Well what's stopping you?"

Again, she pauses. This time to swallow back a small lump in her throat.

"I might like it too much," she eventually bleats out in a hoarse tone.

That awfully vague statement leaves Victor more confused than ever, and he's not afraid to let her know as much through a strange look and an audible, "huh?"

Marnie scratches at some of her black hair on the side of her head that was shaved at the front, at the same time as she pats the ledge opposite where Morpeko sat.

He gets a bit flustered and starts looking around for any bystanders.

"Uhh…" He lets out a slight chuckle that does little to mask his nerves. "Wouldn't you rather… You know… Go sit on one of the benches back here, mate?"

The girl stares daggers back at him, causing Victor to yelp softly.

"You tryin' to tell me the new Champion is a big ol' Torchic?"

Victor looks down at his feet, sighs, and then shakes his head. "Nah…"

"Well come on then! I'll even help you if you're gunna be a little Toxel about it."

She pulls back one of her jacket sleeves and holds out a black-nailed hand for him, palm up. After one more nervous look around the area with shuffling feet and a whimper, Victor starts to climb over the segment of fence he had been leaning on. It took a little extra effort not to get his red polo shirt or obscenely large brown backpack caught on one of the spikes that bookended the barrier, but once he got to the other side he was happy to take Marnie's hand so she could help him settle down without taking a dip.

"Okay," he mumbles softly after getting in a comfortable position. "What's up then, Marnie?"

With another deep breath, the girl picks up her feasting Pokémon and lets it sit on the bit of her frilly, pink dress over her lap.

"It just… Feels like I'm bein' pulled in two different directions." She plays with the rodent's ears, one brown and one black to match the colors running parallel around its yellow center. "Like Morpeko's fur here, ya know?"

"Um." Victor clears his throat and shrugs. "I'm not really sure I do?"

Marnie rolls her eyes at that.

"Course you don't, you actually won the Champion Cup." With a soft moan, she hugs her Pokémon tight to her chest and lets it snuggle in. "I didn't, and now my bro wants me to take over Spikemuth's Gym instead."

The worry which had been plaguing Victor's face melts away, replaced by a hearty smile and a brief laugh.

"I don't know why you'd be upset about that Marnie! That sounds ace to me."

"Guess so…"

She leans forward to get a better look at herself in the reflection of the water, completely enveloping her Pokémon in the process. The rippling waves of the river obfuscated her doppelganger like a funhouse mirror; the hanging black strands of hair from her twin ponytails and the protruding bangs that rested above her right eye looking to cover every part of her face as though she were a Grimmsnarl.

"I just dunno if that's what I really want to be doin' with myself," she mumbles into the fur on Morpeko's head after moving her head back. "Kinda freaked out and ran off on him."

Though Victor did his best to understand, he still seemed unclear on her hesitation. With crossed arms, he tilts his head slightly and gives her a weird look.

"Seems like 'Gym Leader' is the next best title you could get if you aren't Champion, Marnie." A soft smile curls on his lips. "You're soundin' pretty mad."

"Piss off."

She bumps her shoulder into his, which causes the boy to momentarily freak out and clutch the ledge harder. That sight obviously brings her some joy.

"I don't know. You are right about that," Marnie says with a shrug. "I just figured I'd have a bit more time before taking my bro's place."

"You're plenty strong enough to do it, if that's what has you all jittery."

She turns her piercing gaze his way for just a second before resuming her watch over the distant Ferris wheel.

"Thanks," she replies, hugging her Pokémon until it squeaks. "But that's not really it."

Marnie waits a second, but then keeps going when the expected snark doesn't come.

"I love Spikemuth, and all the people in it. I'm still tickled pink thinkin' 'bout how all the Gym trainers came out supportin' me durin' our journey." That much was clear from the actual, genuine smile that breaks her stone-cold façade. "But I spent all my life locked away in there, and the outside world is so… So…"

When she gets lost looking for the word, Victor tries to help out.

"Amazin'?"

His mocking of her accent draws a look to his sharp-toothed grin. Seeing it makes Marnie smile briefly again before she nods.

"Yeah."

Morpeko starts to squirm in her tight hug, so Marnie lets the Pokémon loose. It scampers off, going to play in some of the grass around the benches on the opposite side of the avenue. Once she sees the rodent is safe, she looks back to Victor.

"Everywhere I go there's somethin' new I love about Galar. The sheer magnitude of every town's Stadium, people livin' in peace with wild critters in places like Ballonlea, and don't get me started on all the boutiques!"

She hugs her arms around herself and sways from side-to-side, making the arms of her leather jacket crinkle and squeak as pulls them tight.

"I've spent way too much time just lookin' around for cute stuff to wear, ya know?" When she looks at Victor and sees his affectionate gaze, a red twinge runs across her calm face. She tries looking up to pretend the color is from the increasingly dusky glow of the setting sun. "There's even a place in Motostoke that does tattoos! _Clean_ tattoos. None of that back-alley grimy business ya see in Spikemuth."

"You want to get a tattoo?"

Marnie looks puzzled at Victor, who suddenly seems embarrassed about that being the _one_ question he pulled out of her entire speech thusfar.

"Sorry," he mumbles. "Continue."

She sighs, and then shakes her head.

"I don't know that I have much more to say."

Her hands fall from her arms to the ledge around her again, and her right pinky was dangerously close to Victor's left hand.

"I'm just afraid that if I go back now, I'll be stuck guardin' that place all the time and won't be able to leave anymore." As she scoots her hand ever closer to his, her solemn green eyes trail back onto the Ferris wheel. "There's so much I haven't done…"

Victor lets all of her concerns soak in, mostly ignorant to the near overlap of their pinky fingers. He idly gnaws at his lower lip, trying to figure out the right words. He may be the Champion of Galar, but he still feels like a young guy without too much to offer.

Or did he?

"You know, I heard the Champion is allowed to host little tourneys whenever they want. Exhibition-type stuff. They can even invite people to take part." The implicating tone he trails off the tip of his tongue draws Marnie's attention. "So if you were to take Piers up on that offer, I could drag you out of Spikemuth whenever we bloody-well please."

Her lips twitch as she swallows back — was it nerves? Or just spit? He couldn't tell.

"Sayin' you'd really do that for me, Victor?"

"Sure," he says while scratching his hair under the knit cap. "If you take the job, anyway. You should do whatever makes you happy though, and I'll back you up. Yeah?"

"Yeah." She nods, finally scooting her hand over enough to hook her pinky over his. "I appreciate that."

Victor smiles, fighting the temptation to scramble away as he felt her get close.

It's lucky he doesn't, as soon Marnie turns her attention back to the distant Ferris wheel and casually rests her head on his shoulder in the process.

The boy's cheeks flare up.

"If I had you at the tip of Toxicroak's poison claw, though…" She begins with a somewhat malicious tone. "What would you want me to do?"

Took about everything Victor had not to say something crass and get himself thrown in the river.

"If it were up to me?" He asks, then feeling her nod in return. "Well… It'd be pretty ace to have a powerhouse friend like you to work with as a Gym Leader."

Marnie snorts back a chuckle as she leans more into him.

"Would make us a bloody-fine power couple, huh?" Victor has to hold his breath so as not to explode. "Plus, training as a Gym Leader would make it all the easier to come and beat you hollow next year!"

"As if!" His retort is quick and defensive, making her giggle. "Cinderace'll punt your Morpeko clear across the pitch every time."

"Yeah? You'll be eatin' those words when I take you on that Ferris wheel ride as Champion, just to rub it in."

Marnie threatens to push him off the edge again, which makes Victor squeal and cling onto her.

She laughs, voice echoing over the dark water as the sun dips below the horizon.

* * *

_**Hey everyone. Thanks for taking the time to read this!**_

_**In general it seems like most people are leaning toward Gloria being the default "main protagonist character" in Sword and Shield. **_

_**But uh… Marnie is mah **__**girl**__**. So for the sake of validating my playing the game as the male protagonist, and possibly a little bit of self-inserted affection, I'm making Victor my personal choice for the lead character in these stories unless stated otherwise. We could get into a whole long conversation about my preferred heroes vs. side characters in each generation, but now's not the time.**_

_**After all, it's time for Marnie to be the best girl. Don't 'at' me Sonia fans (it would work better if I could use an At Sign).**_

_**I already gave you a Sonia-focused story anyway, so you can't give me too much guff. But if you haven't seen that and are interested in another Generation 8 Pokémon story, check out "Quilfish and Chips" in my list of published stories. It's got all the slow-burn romantic junk with twice the angst!**_

_**I have more Marnie ideas on the backburner that would move more into the cutesy realm, so if you're interested (or have ideas of your own), let me know. Could definitely see myself doing continuation stories with these two in particular.**_

_**But now, onto the copypasta:**_

_**If you were a fan of this or any of my other stories, I'm also in the business of taking commissions for some creative fan fictions. Go ahead and hit up the info in my profile or just shoot me a private message if you're interested.**_

_**Hope you have a great day!**_

* * *

**Featured Image courtesy of Ilya Grigorik via Wikimedia Commons**


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